Tired of being targeted, America's Sikhs are standing up for their faith

(The Christian Science Monitor) At the Gurdwara of Los Angeles, a small group of Sikh temple-goers move quietly between prayer and community rooms after work. 

They are here to eat and pray, but also to share their concerns about what many see as growing violence against their religion's members, easily identifiable by their traditional beards and turbans. Saturday’s attack on an elderly Sikh farmhand in Fresno, which police have called a hate crime, has heightened their concerns.

“We are very worried,” said Sukhwant Singh Sandhu, a 70-year-old grandfather who came to the United States from India 30 years ago. He is now a U.S. citizen and retired six months ago. But during the many years he worked at convenience stores and gas stations, he regularly shaved his beard to avoid drawing attention to his appearance. “I am now growing this beard for six months,” he said, sipping sweet tea with a smile.